Tustumena

He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The multi-hundred-million-dollar Tustumena Ferry Replacement Project has cleared the audit phase, and a Louisiana-based contractor is set to begin design and construction.

That's according to an announcement the Alaska Marine Highway System posted on social media earlier this month.

The replacement for the Tusti has been in the works since at least 2021, but received no bids when it first went out to bid in 2022.

Each time there's another milestone that we cross, it's like, "Oh, wow, we're getting closer to this, um, this new ship."

The next phase includes the design and construction of the vessel.

The Tustumena replacement will be the state's first hybrid diesel-electric ferry.

Strong says there are unique considerations when building a hybrid vessel for Alaska.